Method and apparatus for performing the register functions for a plurality of metering devices at a common node
DCFirst Claim
1. Apparatus for receiving metering data from at least one electricity meter coupled to an electrical load and for communicating data to a remotely located receiver, said apparatus configured to be located remote from the electricity meter and comprising:
- a receiver for receiving the metering data;
a register for performing at least one power consumption computation using the received metering data; and
a transmitter for transmitting at least the power consumption computation result to the remotely located receiver.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus of the present invention includes a common node of a power line communications system for individually performing the register functions for a plurality of electrical metering devices operably connected to the node. The power line communications system includes at least one node having a plurality of registers, a respective one of which is associated with a respective electrical metering device. The electrical metering devices connected via the power lines to the node measure the power consumption of the electrical load associated therewith and transmit a signal indicative of the measured power consumption to the node and, in particular, to the respective register of the node associated with the electrical metering device. The node individually determines the power consumed by each electrical load operably connected to the node based upon the received signals. The results of such calculations are stored in the register associated with each respective electrical metering device. The stored results are also periodically transmitted to the system control center of the power line communications system. Thus, the register functions for a plurality of relatively simple electrical metering devices may be centralized at a common node.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for receiving metering data from at least one electricity meter coupled to an electrical load and for communicating data to a remotely located receiver, said apparatus configured to be located remote from the electricity meter and comprising:
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a receiver for receiving the metering data; a register for performing at least one power consumption computation using the received metering data; and a transmitter for transmitting at least the power consumption computation result to the remotely located receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system, comprising:
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at least one electricity meter coupled to an electrical load, said meter comprising a transmitter for transmitting metering data; a system control center comprising a receiver for receiving signals; and at least one intermediate unit comprising; a receiver for receiving metering data; a register for performing at least one power consumption computation using the received metering data; and a transmitter for transmitting at least the power consumption computation result. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electricity meter, comprising:
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a meter unit configured to be coupled to a power line supplying power to an electrical load and for measuring the power consumption of an electrical load from the power line; a reduced functionality register, coupled to said meter unit, for performing at least one power consumption computation using the power consumption measured by said meter unit; and a communications unit, coupled to said reduced functionality register, for transmitting a signal representative of a power consumption computation result to an external register located remote from said meter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for transmitting energy consumption related data in a system including at least one electricity meter coupled to an electrical load, the meter including a transmitter for transmitting metering data, a system control center, and at least one intermediate unit including a receiver for receiving metering data, a register for performing at least one power consumption computation using the received metering data, and a transmitter for transmitting at least the power consumption computation result, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting metering data from the meter transmitter; receiving the metering data at the intermediate unit receiver; controlling the register to perform at least one power consumption computation using the received metering data; and transmitting at least the one power consumption computation result to the system control center. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification